Q&A: Griswold schools' Volunteer of the Year Beth Malin

Tuesday

Apr 2, 2013 at 12:01 AMApr 2, 2013 at 2:02 AM

Mary Beth Malin was honored as Griswold Public Schools’ Volunteer of the Year for 2013 last week for her work with the Griswold Friends of Music. Malin has been with the group of parents for 13 years and is a current co-chairwoman. Malin is the only member without a child in the school system — her youngest graduated four years ago. Her work earned praise from Superintendent Paul Smith last week, who said she works tirelessly to support Griswold music students. “She truly cares about each and every student in the musical groups, helping to make sure that all can attend the annual trip through all means possible.” Malin said her work with the program is all about the students.

ALISON SHEA

Mary Beth Malin was honored as Griswold Public Schools’ Volunteer of the Year for 2013 last week for her work with the Griswold Friends of Music. Malin has been with the group of parents for 13 years and is a current co-chairwoman. Malin is the only member without a child in the school system — her youngest graduated four years ago. Her work earned praise from Superintendent Paul Smith last week, who said she works tirelessly to support Griswold music students. “She truly cares about each and every student in the musical groups, helping to make sure that all can attend the annual trip through all means possible.” Malin said her work with the program is all about the students.

Q: What made you want to get involved in the music program?
A: When my daughter started high school, I just wanted to be involved in the program to help out. When my son started high school, he was in the music program, too, so I continued.

Q: What made you want to stay on after your own children had graduated?
A: I just wanted to volunteer. It’s a music program that I truly believe in, in a school system that has a lot to offer students. I wanted to make another student’s music experience as memorable as it was for my children.

Q: What does Griswold Friends of Music do each year to help the music program?
A: We do a lot of fundraisers in the fall, and then planning for their big trip each year. This year, the music program is taking students to Washington, D.C., and New York City for four days. It’s a whirlwind trip. The students pay about $700 apiece, and the fundraising is applied to the trip costs.

Q: What kind of fundraisers?
A: We sell Yankee Candles, magazines, pies and cheesecakes, then we do a walkathon, and we end with cookie dough sales. Those are the ones we feel sell the most and give the best profit.

Q: How much support do you have on the Griswold Friends of Music?
A: Laurie LaBossierre and I are the co-chairs of the group, then there are probably 20 to 25 other parents who are very committed to helping us at fundraisers and in whatever we need help with. Once we get back from the trip, there’s also work with the school play. This year the school is putting on “9 to 5,” and Griswold Friends of Music helps out with concessions, selling water and running the 50-50 raffle for that whole weekend.

Q: That sounds like a lot of work. How hard is it to recruit volunteers?
A: We go to the parents’ meetings in the beginning of the year and we ask people who are interested in helping to sign up. In the beginning, it goes well. It slightly fizzles out after that — we really have a strong parents’ organization committed right to the end for students.

Q: What else should people know about the Friends of Music?
A: We’re a very strong parents’ organization dedicated to the music department and to helping out any way we can with the music department so it’s a top-rated music department at the high school.